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Mapping and estimating land change between 2001 and 2013 in a heterogeneous landscape in West Africa: Loss of forestlands and capacity building opportunities / Hèou Maléki Badjanain International journal of applied Earth observation and geoinformation, vol 63 (December 2017)

(auteur) In West Africa, accurate classification of land cover and land change remains a big challenge due to the patchy and heterogeneous nature of the landscape. Limited data availability, human resources and technical capacities, further exacerbate the challenge. The result is a region that is among the more understudied areas in the world, which in turn has resulted in a lack of appropriate information required for sustainable natural resources management. The objective of this paper is to explore open source software and easy-to-implement approaches to mapping and estimation of land change that are transferrable to local institutions to increase capacity in the region, and to provide updated information on the regional land surface dynamics. To achieve these objectives, stable land cover and land change between 2001 and 2013 in the Kara River Basin in Togo and Benin were mapped by direct multitemporal classification of Landsat data by parameterization and evaluation of two machine-learning algorithms. Areas of land cover and change were estimated by application of an unbiased estimator to sample data following international guidelines. A prerequisite for all tools and methods was implementation in an open source environment, and adherence to international guidelines for reporting land surface activities. Findings include a recommendation of the Random Forests algorithm as implemented in Orfeo Toolbox, and a stratified estimation protocol − all executed in the QGIS graphical use interface. It was found that despite an estimated reforestation of 10,0727 ± 3480 ha (95% confidence interval), the combined rate of forest and savannah loss amounted to 56,271 ± 9405 ha (representing a 16% loss of the forestlands present in 2001), resulting in a rather sharp net loss of forestlands in the study area. These dynamics had not been estimated prior to this study, and the results will provide useful information for decision making pertaining to natural resources management, land management planning, and the implementation of the United Nations Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (UN-REDD).

(auteur) Intensified human land use continues to increase habitat loss and fragmentation, and leads to a homogenization of biodiversity. Specialized species with narrow niches seem to be declining more rapidly than generalist species. Veteran trees offer an excellent model system for testing the responses of habitat specialists vs. generalists in a changing environment, as they host a rich fauna of associated insects, with different degrees of strict habitat affinity.
In this study, we use an extensive dataset of more than 22 000 wood-living beetles collected from 62 veteran oaks across Southern Norway, combined with a full-cover map predicting the occurrence of similar oaks in the surrounding landscape. We calculate three different connectivity measures, at eight different scales up to 25 km radius, and compare the response to patch size and patch connectivity for the specialist beetles in the veteran oak community, with that of the remaining beetle species in the community. We investigate these responses in oaks in two different surroundings; forests and parks. Our overall aim is to test whether habitat specialists and generalists respond differently to habitat patch connectivity, and if so, if differences in species traits or close surroundings can explain the response.
We found that the specialists showed a positive response to habitat amount on a small scale (0.5 km), and this effect of small-scale connectivity was the only common factor explaining a high species richness of specialists in all models, independent of park or forest surroundings. For generalists, there was no or only a weak response to connectivity, and only at the largest scale (25 km) tested.
The differences in response to habitat connectivity between specialists and generalists in veteran oaks can partly be explained by differences in traits, as the specialists were found to have larger body sizes, and feed on larger and more decayed dead wood material. These are all traits that have been related to increased sensitivity to forest fragmentation in earlier studies. The size and vitality of the oak, as well as the openness around it, also influenced the species richness, with different patterns between specialists and generalists and between the two types of oak surroundings.
We conclude that increasing biotic homogenization is likely to take place with further fragmentation and loss of veteran trees, and specialist species will be the major group affected.

(auteur) Promoting the plant diversity of urban green spaces is crucial to increase ecosystem services in urban areas. While introducing ornamental plants can enhance the biodiversity of green spaces it risks environmental impacts such as increasing emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) that are harmful to air quality and human health. The present study, taking Qingdao City as a case study, evaluated the plant diversity and BVOC emissions of urban green spaces and tried to find out a solution to increase biodiversity while reducing BVOC emissions. Results showed that: (1) the species diversity and phylogenetic diversity of trees in urban green spaces were 22% and 16% lower than rural forest of this region; (2) urban areas had higher BVOC emission intensity (2.6 g C m−2 yr−1) than their rural surroundings (2.1 g C m−2 yr−1); (3) introducing the selected 11 tree species will increase 15% and 11% of species diversity and phylogenetic diversity, respectively; and (4) the BVOC emissions from green spaces will more than triple by 2050, but a moderate introduction of the selected low-emitting trees species could reduce 34% of these emissions. The scheme of introducing low-emitting ornamental species leads to a win–win situation and also has implications for the sustainable green space management of other cities.

(auteur) Remote sensing using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) -borne sensors is currently a highly interesting approach for the estimation of forest characteristics. 3D remote sensing data from airborne laser scanning or digital stereo photogrammetry enable highly accurate estimation of forest variables related to the volume of growing stock and dimension of the trees, whereas recognition of tree species dominance and proportion of different tree species has been a major complication in remote sensing-based estimation of stand variables. In this study, the use of UAV-borne hyperspectral imagery was examined in combination with a high-resolution photogrammetric canopy height model in estimating forest variables of 298 sample plots. Data were captured from eleven separate test sites under weather conditions varying from sunny to cloudy and partially cloudy. Both calibrated hyperspectral reflectance images and uncalibrated imagery were tested in combination with a canopy height model based on RGB camera imagery using the k-nearest neighbour estimation method. The results indicate that this data combination allows accurate estimation of stand volume, mean height and diameter: the best relative RMSE values for those variables were 22.7%, 7.4% and 14.7%, respectively. In estimating volume and dimension-related variables, the use of a calibrated image mosaic did not bring significant improvement in the results. In estimating the volumes of individual tree species, the use of calibrated hyperspectral imagery generally brought marked improvement in the estimation accuracy; the best relative RMSE values for the volumes for pine, spruce, larch and broadleaved trees were 34.5%, 57.2%, 45.7% and 42.0%, respectively.

(auteur) The extraction of forest information from SAR images is particularly complex in Mediterranean areas, since they are characterized by high spatial fragmentation and heterogeneity. We have investigated the use of multi-frequency SAR data from different sensors (ALOS/PALSAR and ENVISAT/ASAR) for estimating forest biomass in two test areas in Central Italy (San Rossore and Molise), where detailed in-situ measurements and Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) data were available. The study focused on the estimation of growing stock volume (GS, in m3/ha) by using an inversion algorithm based on artificial neural networks (ANN). The ANN algorithm was first appropriately trained using the available GS estimates obtained from ALS data. The potential of this algorithm was then improved through the innovative use of a simulated dataset, generated by a forward electromagnetic model based on the Radiative Transfer Theory (RTT). The algorithm is able to merge SAR data at L and C bands for predicting GS in diversified Mediterranean environments. The performed analyses indicated that GS was correctly estimated by integrating information from L and C bands on both test areas, with the following statistics: R > 0.97 and RMSE = 28.5 m3/ha for the independent test, and R = 0.86 and RMSE ≈ 77 m3/ha for the final independent validation, the latter performed on the forest stands of both areas not included in the ALS acquisitions and where conventional measurements were available. The research then illustrates the potential of using the obtained GS estimates from SAR data to drive the simulations of forest net primary production (NPP). This experiment produced spatially explicit estimates of GS current annual increments that are slightly less accurate than those obtained from ground observations (R = 0.75 and RMSE ≈ 1.5 m3/ha/year).

(Auteur) Canopy height is a crucial metric required to quantify the aboveground plant biomass accurately. The study explores the data derived using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology from GeoScience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) aboard Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation satellite (ICESat) to derive canopy height estimate equations in the tropical forests of the Western Ghats, India. The interpretation of LiDAR waveforms for the purpose of estimating canopy heights is not straightforward, especially over sloping terrain where vegetation and ground are found at comparable heights. Canopy height models are developed using GLAS waveform extent and terrain index, derived from ASTER digital elevation, to counter the effect of topographic relief effects in canopy height estimates over steep terrain. The model was applied to calculate tree heights for whole of the Western Ghats. Results showed that the model can estimate tree heights within the specified height range with an accuracy of more than 90% while using percent overestimation/underestimation method of validation. This shows the effectiveness of the model, especially over steep slopes, also revealing that the models were able to successfully account for the pulse broadening effect. The study highlights the development of a LiDAR-based canopy height model for tropical forest and its ability to yield better canopy height estimates especially over steep slopes.

(auteur) Functional response traits influence the ability of species to colonize and thrive in a habitat and to persist under environmental challenges. Functional traits can be used to evaluate environment-related processes and phenomena. They also help to interpret distribution patterns, especially under limiting ecological conditions. In this study, we investigate landscape-scale functional distribution responses of beech forests in a climatic transitional zone in Europe. We construct empirical density distribution responses for beech forests by applying coping-resilience-failure climatic traits based on 27 bioclimatic variables, resulting in prevalence-decay-exclusion distribution response patterns. We also perform multivariate exploratory cluster analysis to reveal significant sets of response patterns from the resilience and adaptation aspects. Temperature-related distribution responses presented a prevalence-dominated functional pattern, with Annual mean temperature indicating the most favorable adaptation function. Precipitation indices showed climate-limited response patterns with the dominance of extinction function. Considering regional site-specific climate change projections, these continental beech forests could regress moderately due to temperature increase in the near future. Our results also suggest that both summer and winter precipitation could play a pivotal role in successful resilience. Functions and variables that indicate climate sensitivity can serve as a useful starting point to develop adaptation measures for regional forest management.

(Auteur) African savanna vegetation is subject to extensive degradation as a result of rapid climate and land use change. To better understand these changes detailed assessment of vegetation structure is needed across an extensive spatial scale and at a fine temporal resolution. Applying remote sensing techniques to savanna vegetation is challenging due to sparse cover, high background soil signal, and difficulty to differentiate between spectral signals of bare soil and dry vegetation. In this paper, we attempt to resolve these challenges by analyzing time series of four MODIS Vegetation Products (VPs): Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Leaf Area Index (LAI), and Fraction of Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FPAR) for Etosha National Park, a semiarid savanna in north-central Namibia. We create models to predict the density, cover, and biomass of the main savanna vegetation forms: grass, shrubs, and trees. To calibrate remote sensing data we developed an extensive and relatively rapid field methodology and measured herbaceous and woody vegetation during both the dry and wet seasons. We compared the efficacy of the four MODIS-derived VPs in predicting vegetation field measured variables. We then compared the optimal time span of VP time series to predict ground-measured vegetation. We found that Multiyear Partial Least Square Regression (PLSR) models were superior to single year or single date models. Our results show that NDVI-based PLSR models yield robust prediction of tree density (R2 = 0.79, relative Root Mean Square Error, rRMSE = 1.9%) and tree cover (R2 = 0.78, rRMSE = 0.3%). EVI provided the best model for shrub density (R2 = 0.82) and shrub cover (R2 = 0.83), but was only marginally superior over models based on other VPs. FPAR was the best predictor of vegetation biomass of trees (R2 = 0.76), shrubs (R2 = 0.83), and grass (R2 = 0.91). Finally, we addressed an enduring challenge in the remote sensing of semiarid vegetation by examining the transferability of predictive models through space and time. Our results show that models created in the wetter part of Etosha could accurately predict trees’ and shrubs’ variables in the drier part of the reserve and vice versa. Moreover, our results demonstrate that models created for vegetation variables in the dry season of 2011 could be successfully applied to predict vegetation in the wet season of 2012. We conclude that extensive field data combined with multiyear time series of MODIS vegetation products can produce robust predictive models for multiple vegetation forms in the African savanna. These methods advance the monitoring of savanna vegetation dynamics and contribute to improved management and conservation of these valuable ecosystems.

(auteur) Due to rapid losses of mangrove forests caused by anthropogenic disturbances and climate change, accurate and contemporary maps of mangrove forests are needed to understand how mangrove ecosystems are changing and establish plans for sustainable management. In this study, a new classification algorithm was developed using the biophysical characteristics of mangrove forests in China. More specifically, these forests were mapped by identifying: (1) greenness, canopy coverage, and tidal inundation from time series Landsat data, and (2) elevation, slope, and intersection-with-sea criterion. The annual mean Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was found to be a key variable in determining the classification thresholds of greenness, canopy coverage, and tidal inundation of mangrove forests, which are greatly affected by tide dynamics. In addition, the integration of Sentinel-1A VH band and modified Normalized Difference Water Index (mNDWI) shows great potential in identifying yearlong tidal and fresh water bodies, which is related to mangrove forests. This algorithm was developed using 6 typical Regions of Interest (ROIs) as algorithm training and was run on the Google Earth Engine (GEE) cloud computing platform to process 1941 Landsat images (25 Path/Row) and 586 Sentinel-1A images circa 2015. The resultant mangrove forest map of China at 30 m spatial resolution has an overall/users/producer’s accuracy greater than 95% when validated with ground reference data. In 2015, China’s mangrove forests had a total area of 20,303 ha, about 92% of which was in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guangdong, and Hainan Provinces. This study has demonstrated the potential of using the GEE platform, time series Landsat and Sentine-1A SAR images to identify and map mangrove forests along the coastal zones. The resultant mangrove forest maps are likely to be useful for the sustainable management and ecological assessments of mangrove forests in China.

(auteur) Markov chain models have been applied for a long time to simulate forest dynamics based on transitions in matrices of tree diameter classes or areas of forest size and structure types. To date, area-based matrix models have been applied assuming either even-aged or uneven-aged forest management. However, both management systems may be applied simultaneously due to land-use constraints or the rationality of combining the systems, which is called any-aged management. We integrated two different Markov chain models, one for even-aged and another for uneven-aged forest management, in an area-based approach to analyze wood supply from any-aged forest management. We evaluate the impacts of parameterizing the model based on available data sets, namely permanent and temporary Finnish National Forest Inventory (NFI) sample plots and a plot-level simulator to determine transitions due to different types of thinning treatments, and present recommendations for the related methodological choices. Our overall observation is that the combined modelling chain simulated the development of both the even- and uneven-aged forest structures realistically. Due to the flexibility of the implementation, the approach is very well suited for situations where scenario assumptions need to be varied according to expected changes in silvicultural practices or land-use constraints, for example.

(auteur) Previous studies have utilized ground plots, airborne lidar scanning or profiling data, and space lidar profiling data to estimate biomass across large regions, but these studies have failed to take into account the variance components associated with multiple models because the proper variance equations were not available. Previous large-domain studies estimated the variances of their biomass density estimates as the sum of the GLAS sampling variability plus the model variability associated with the models that predict airborne lidar estimates of biomass density (Y) as a function of satellite lidar measurements (X). This approach ignores the additional variability associated with the predictive models used to estimate ground biomass density as a function of airborne lidar measurements. This paper addresses that shortcoming. Analytic variance expressions are provided that include sampling variability and model variability in situations where multiple models are employed to generate estimates of biomass. As an example, the forest biomass of the continental US is estimated, by forest stratum within state, using a space lidar system (ICESat/GLAS). An airborne laser system (ALS) is used as an intermediary to tie the GLAS measurements of forest height to a small subset of US Forest Service (USFS) ground plots by flying the ALS over the ground plots and, independently, over individual GLAS footprints. Two sets of models are employed to relate satellite measurements to the ground plots. The first set of equations relates USFS ground plot estimates of total aboveground dry biomass density (Y1) to spatially coincident ALS forest canopy measurements (X1). The second set of models predicts those ALS canopy height measurements (X1) used in the first set of models to GLAS waveform measurements (X2). The following important conclusions are noted. (1) The variability associated with estimation of the plot-ALS model coefficients is significant and should be included in the overall estimate of biomass density variance. In the continental US, the total variance of mean forest biomass density (98.06 t/ha) increases by a factor of 3.6 ×, i.e., from 1.91 to 6.94 t2/ha2, when plot-ALS model variance is included in the calculation of total variance. (2) State-level results are more variable, but on average, the percent model variance at the state level, i.e., (model variance / total variance) ∗ 100, increases from 16% to 59% when plot-ALS model variance is included. (3) The overall model variance is driven in large part by the number of plots overflown by the ALS and the number of GLAS pulses overflown by the ALS. Given a choice of improving precision by either increasing the number of plot-ALS observations or increasing ALS-GLAS observations, there is no obvious benefit to selecting one over the other. However, typically the number of ground plots overflown is the limiting factor. (4) If heteroskedasticity is evident in either the ground-air or air-satellite models, it can modeled using weighted regression techniques and incorporated into these model variance formulas in straightforward fashion. The results are unambiguous; in a hybrid three-phase sampling framework, both the ground-air and air-satellite model variance components are significant and should be taken into account.

(auteur) Optical 2D remote sensing techniques such as aerial photographing and satellite imaging have been used in forest inventory for a long time. During the last 15 years, airborne laser scanning (ALS) has been adopted in many countries for the estimation of forest attributes at stand and sub-stand levels. Compared to optical remote sensing data sources, ALS data are particularly well-suited for the estimation of forest attributes related to the physical dimensions of trees due to its 3D information. Similar to ALS, it is possible to derive a 3D forest canopy model based on aerial imagery using digital aerial photogrammetry. In this study, we compared the accuracy and spatial characteristics of 2D satellite and aerial imagery as well as 3D ALS and photogrammetric remote sensing data in the estimation of forest inventory variables using k-NN imputation and 2469 National Forest Inventory (NFI) sample plots in a study area covering approximately 5800 km2. Both 2D data were very close to each other in terms of accuracy, as were both the 3D materials. On the other hand, the difference between the 2D and 3D materials was very clear. The 3D data produce a map where the hotspots of volume, for instance, are much clearer than with 2D remote sensing imagery. The spatial correlation in the map produced with 2D data shows a lower short-range correlation, but the correlations approach the same level after 200 meters. The difference may be of importance, for instance, when analyzing the efficiency of different sampling designs and when estimating harvesting potential.

(Auteur) The application of remote sensing (RS) techniques to monitor ecosystem services has increased in recent years. Nevertheless, the potential application of RS to monitor some of ecosystem services is still challenging. The paper reviews the applications of RS to monitor ecosystem services of forests, mangroves and urban areas. Satellite data provide substantial information about dynamics of environmental changes over time from local to global scale. These information are useful data sources for the people who are involved in the on-going evaluation and decision-making process to manage ecosystem. Many recent research papers on the topic were reviewed to find new applications and limitations of RS for monitoring ecosystem services. Advanced RS techniques have high potential to monitor ecosystem services with the advancement of sensors ranging from aerial photography to high and medium resolution optical RS and from hyperspectral RS to microwave RS.

(auteur) Intensified human land use continues to increase habitat loss and fragmentation, and leads to a homogenization of biodiversity. Specialized species with narrow niches seem to be declining more rapidly than generalist species. Veteran trees offer an excellent model system for testing the responses of habitat specialists vs. generalists in a changing environment, as they host a rich fauna of associated insects, with different degrees of strict habitat affinity.
In this study, we use an extensive dataset of more than 22 000 wood-living beetles collected from 62 veteran oaks across Southern Norway, combined with a full-cover map predicting the occurrence of similar oaks in the surrounding landscape. We calculate three different connectivity measures, at eight different scales up to 25 km radius, and compare the response to patch size and patch connectivity for the specialist beetles in the veteran oak community, with that of the remaining beetle species in the community. We investigate these responses in oaks in two different surroundings; forests and parks. Our overall aim is to test whether habitat specialists and generalists respond differently to habitat patch connectivity, and if so, if differences in species traits or close surroundings can explain the response.
We found that the specialists showed a positive response to habitat amount on a small scale (0.5 km), and this effect of small-scale connectivity was the only common factor explaining a high species richness of specialists in all models, independent of park or forest surroundings. For generalists, there was no or only a weak response to connectivity, and only at the largest scale (25 km) tested.
The differences in response to habitat connectivity between specialists and generalists in veteran oaks can partly be explained by differences in traits, as the specialists were found to have larger body sizes, and feed on larger and more decayed dead wood material. These are all traits that have been related to increased sensitivity to forest fragmentation in earlier studies. The size and vitality of the oak, as well as the openness around it, also influenced the species richness, with different patterns between specialists and generalists and between the two types of oak surroundings.
We conclude that increasing biotic homogenization is likely to take place with further fragmentation and loss of veteran trees, and specialist species will be the major group affected.

(auteur) Questions : What are the main floristic patterns in European beech forests? Which classification at the alliance and suballiance level is the most convincing?
Location : Europe and Asia Minor.
Methods : We applied a TWINSPAN classification to a data set of 24 605 relevés covering the whole range of Fagus sylvatica forests and the western part of Fagus orientalis forests. We identified 24 ‘operational phytosociological units’ (OPUs), which were used for further analysis. The position of each OPU along the soil pH and temperature gradient was evaluated using Ellenberg Indicator Values. Fidelity of species to OPUs was calculated using the phi coefficient and constancy ratio. We compared alternative alliance concepts, corresponding to groups of OPUs, in terms of number and frequency of diagnostic species. We also established formal definitions for the various alliance concepts based on comparison of the total cover of the diagnostic species groups, and evaluated alternative geographical subdivisions of beech forests.
Results : The first and second division levels of TWINSPAN followed the temperature and soil pH gradients, while lower divisions were mainly geographical. We grouped the 22 OPUs of Fagus sylvatica forests into acidophytic, meso-basiphytic and thermo-basiphytic beech forests, and separated two OPUs of F. orientalis forests. However, a solution with only two ecologically defined alliances of F. sylvatica forests (acidophytic vs basiphytic) was clearly superior with regard to number and frequency of diagnostic species. In contrast, when comparing groupings with three to six geographical alliances of basiphytic beech forests, respectively, we did not find a strongly superior solution.
Conclusions : We propose to classify F. sylvatica forests into 15 suballiances – three acidophytic and 12 basiphytic ones. Separating these two groups at alliance or order level was clearly supported by our results. Concerning the grouping of the 12 basiphytic suballiances into ecological or geographical alliances, as advocated by many authors, we failed to find an optimal solution. Therefore, we propose a multi-dimensional classification of basiphytic beech forests, including both ecological and geographical groups as equally valid concepts which may be used alternatively depending on the purpose and context of the classification.

(auteur) This study compares biodiversity indicators based on plant and bird communities in eight mosaic landscapes in Hungary, dominated by a mixture of agro-ecosystems and grasslands. The eight landscapes were selected to represent the diversity of the mixed agricultural landscapes of South-East Europe, where a mosaic pattern of intensively managed farmlands and high nature value semi natural grasslands is still relatively prevalent. Bird communities were described using several assemblage-level (species number, total abundance, and Shannon diversity of the assemblage, based on 15 pre-selected key farmland bird species), as well as species-level (presence/absence of the 15 bird species) indicators, which were checked against a synthetic landscape quality indicator describing the degradation of the local plant communities with respect to an ideal baseline (vegetation-based natural capital index, NCI). The authors were interested if and how the assemblage- and species-level bird indicators can describe landscape quality in South-East European agricultural mosaic landscapes.
It was found that assemblage-level bird indicators were poorly associated to the landscape quality measured in terms of NCI: only total abundance correlated significantly with NCI. On the other hand, species-level indicators were much more successful in predicting landscape quality. Six (Alauda arvensis, Emberiza calandra, Falco tinnunculus, Motacilla flava, Limosa limosa, Vanellus vanellus) of the 15 farmland bird species studied showed significant positive correlation with NCI, while three species (Emberiza citrinella, Galerida cristata, Sylvia communis) exhibited negative correlations. We also found that it was possible to draw conclusions about the landscape quality in an agricultural landscape based on the bird communities better, than to predict the bird assemblages from vegetation condition.
The negative correlations for species that indicate good quality habitats in Western Europe, underline the context specificity of biodiversity indicators: whereas the conditions preferred by these species can be considered relatively natural in Western Europe, they correspond to relatively degraded habitats in South-East Europe. The nine farmland bird species which showed a significant connection to NCI can be seen as potential candidates for a regional Farmland Bird Index customized for agricultural landscapes in South-East Europe, in the Pannonian biogeographic region, or in Hungary.

(auteur) In forest ecosystems, deadwood is an important component that provides habitat and contributes to nutrient cycles, as well as to carbon and water storage. The change of wood constituents, nutrients and microbial species richness in the field over the whole time of decomposition has only rarely been studied, in particular not in relation to oxidative enzyme activities (mediating lignin degradation) and different forest management regimes.
To describe wood decomposition, we selected coarse woody debris (CWD) in form of 197 logs of Fagus sylvatica, Picea abies and Pinus sylvestris in forests with different management regimes across three regions in Germany. They were sampled and analyzed for wood density, water content, wood constituents (Klason and acid-soluble lignin, organic extractives, water-soluble lignin fragments), carbon, nitrogen and metals (Al, Ca, Cu, K, Mg, Mn and Zn). Furthermore, the activities of oxidative enzymes like laccase, manganese peroxidase, and general peroxidase were measured. Since filamentous fungi (Basidiomycota, Ascomycota) are the major biological agents of wood decomposition, fungal species richness based on sporocarps and molecular fingerprints was recorded.
Higher forest management intensity had a negative effect on deadwood volume and in consequence on fungal species richness (sporocarps), but hardly to other analyzed variables. Furthermore, there were significant differences between the tree species for the concentrations of wood constituents and most nutrients as well as the activities of oxidative enzymes, although their course during decomposition was mostly similar among the tree species. We found that molecular species richness increased with the period of decomposition in contrast to the number of fruiting species, which was highest in the intermediate stage of decomposition. Both types of species richness increased with increasing volume of the CWD logs. Regarding the entire period of decomposition, white-rot fungi (WRF), based on identification of sporocarps, were the most abundant group of wood-decaying fungi in all three tree species. This corresponds well with the overall presence of laccase and peroxidases and the concomitant substantial loss of lignin, which points to the importance of these enzymes in deadwood decomposition. We found a continuous decomposition and decline of volume-related concentrations in wood constituents and nutrients with time of decomposition. Contrary to volume-related concentrations, the concentrations related to dry mass frequently increased.

(auteur) The role of forests in the mitigation of natural hazards has been repeatedly demonstrated. The protective effect of mountain forests against rockfalls has especially been pointed out because it can constitute a natural and cost-effective protection measure in many situations. However, this particular ecosystem service may substantially differ according to the structure and the composition of the forest. Until now, the rockfall protection capability has always been studied at a local scale with only few forest types. Moreover, the comparison of the protective effect of the different forest types studied remains difficult because different methods and indicators were used. For the same reasons, it is not possible to draw conclusions about the influence of biological and structural diversities on the protection capabilities of forests from former works.
The aims of this study were (1) to quantitatively assess the protective effect of forests at the French Alps scale and build a classification based on the protection capability, (2) to compare the protective effect of the different forest types present in the French Alps and (3) to analyze the relations between the protective effect and the forest diversity in terms of stand structure and tree composition. For this purpose, the model Rockyfor3D was used to simulate the propagation of rocks on 3886 different forest plots spread over the whole French Alps. Quantitative indicators characterizing the protective effect of each forest plot were then calculated from the simulation results and used to perform the different analyses.
Our results emphasized the importance of taking into account the length of forest in the maximum slope direction for an accurate assessment of the protective effect. Thus, the minimum length of forest to get a reduction of 99% of the rockfall hazard was chosen as indicator to compare protective effect between forests. Using this indicator, half of the French Alpine forests presented a high level of protection after a short forested slope (190 m). A decreasing gradient in the protection capabilities was observed from forest types dominated by broadleaved species to those dominated by conifer species. Moreover, considering an equivalent proportion of conifers, stands dominated by shade-tolerant tree species showed better ability to reduce rockfall hazard. Finally, our study highlighted that a high biodiversity and a structural heterogeneity within the forest have a positive effect on the reduction of rockfalls hazard.

(auteur) Large volcanic eruptions can alter forest plant communities through a variety of mechanisms, including direct destruction of forests and changes to forest soils through tephra (aerially transported volcanic ejecta) deposits. While many studies have examined succession following direct destruction of forests, impacts to plant communities through tephra effects are less obvious, especially where the tephra depth is less than plant height. We used a 33-year experiment in an old growth forest that received shallow tephra deposition in the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens (WA, USA), to examine plant communities. We determined if community differences between plots with and without tephra: (1) were detectable, and (2) changed over time. We found that plant communities differed significantly between plots with and without tephra after 33 years. Further, differences were stronger after 33 years than at two years following the eruption. Species richness increased over time in both plots with and without tephra, but live cover was largely stable after two years. Nevertheless, communities shifted in different directions over time, where the changes in species composition and abundance immediately following tephra deposition were inconsistent with net changes that occurred over 30 years afterwards. These results suggest that widespread and apparently minor deposits of tephra, usually interpreted to be of transient importance if any, may induce long-term modifications of understory plant communities.

(auteur) For forest ecosystems, studies dealing with diversity-productivity relationships are often based on diameter increment observations. Studying how height growth is affected by species interactions can provide new insights on this issue. We studied the mixture effect on dominant height growth in order to answer two questions. Do species interactions in mixed forest modify the dominant height growth of species? Does the diversity effect on diameter found in previous studies correspond to actual overyielding, or rather to an effect on allocation of growth between diameter and height?

We used the French National Forest Inventory (NFI) data to model the mixture effect on dominant height. We included biophysical factors in the models to compare the dominant height of mixed and monospecific stands, all other parameters being equal. We studied five target species – Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl., Fagus sylvatica L., Picea abies (L.) Karst., Abies alba Mill., and Pinus sylvestris L. – in association with sixteen other species.

Mixture effects on dominant height were weak, though often significant. They were either positive or negative according to species association. We showed that mixture effect on dominant height corresponds to a leveling process between species: the taller one limits its growth while the smaller one’s growth increases. Furthermore, most of the time, mixture effects on dominant height are in the same direction as those found on diameter, though with a lower magnitude. Our results confirm that tree diversity results in overyielding rather than in a different allocation of volume between the parts of the tree.

(auteur) Tree microhabitats – e.g. cavities, bark pockets or crown dead wood – have been described as key habitat elements, which are particularly important for birds, bats and xylobiont insects. They are therefore vital for promoting biodiversity in forest ecosystems. The occurrence of such tree microhabitats in forest stands is closely related to forest management. In Central European cultural landscapes, forest areas are subdivided into a mosaic of stands under different ownership types and owners vary in their forest management strategies and practices. However, little is known about the influence of forest ownership on the density and diversity of tree microhabitats in forest stands. In this study, we investigate tree microhabitats – categorised into 31 different tree microhabitat types – within forest stands in clusters of different ownership types. We compare small-scale private forests, municipal forests and state-owned forests in deciduous temperate forest ecosystems in south-western Germany. Our results reveal that the density of tree microhabitats per hectare is more than twice as high in small-scale private forests than in municipal or state-owned forests. Similarly, the diversity of tree microhabitats related to area is highest in small-scale private forests. Moreover, we found differences in tree microhabitat occurrences under the three ownership types at the single tree level. Besides ownership type, relevant indicators for tree microhabitats are basal area of forest stands as well as tree vitality and diameter. Within the study region, the share of tree microhabitats provided by small-scale private forests plays a substantive role for overall forest biodiversity. Management of publicly owned forests should promote a higher density and diversity of tree microhabitats to comply with goals of close-to-nature forest management approaches. In conclusion, we regard the type of forest ownership as a relevant driver of tree microhabitat occurrence. Ownership should therefore be considered in the design of policy frameworks and instruments which address the promotion of forest biodiversity.

(auteur) Temperate open woodlands are recognized as biodiversity hotspots. They are characterised by the presence of scattered, open-grown, often old and large trees (hereafter referred to as “solitary trees”). Such trees are considered keystone ecological features for biodiversity. However, the ecological role of solitary trees and their importance for woodland communities are still not fully understood. Communities of arthropods in temperate forests are often structured not only by the horizontal openness of the stand, but also by vertical stratification. Thus there is a need for comparisons among communities associated with solitary trees and different forest strata. In this study, we analysed the diversity, conservation value, and nestedness of four taxonomic groups (beetles (Coleoptera), bees and wasps (aculeate Hymenoptera), ants (Formicidae), and spiders (Araneae)) on (i) solitary trees in open woodlands, and four habitat types in adjacent closed-canopy forests: (ii) edge-canopy, (iii) edge-understorey, (iv) interior-canopy, and (v) interior-understorey.

Across the focal insect groups, solitary trees harboured the greatest number of species, whilst spider communities were also equally rich in forest edge canopies. The conservation value of communities was highest in solitary trees for beetles, and in solitary trees and edge-canopy habitats for bees and wasps. For spiders, the conservation value was similar across all habitat types, but ordination analysis revealed general preferences for solitary trees among threatened species. We also found that communities from the forest interior were mostly only nested subsets of the communities found on solitary trees. Our results show an important and irreplaceable role that open-grown trees have in maintaining temperate woodland biodiversity. Therefore, preservation and maintenance of open-grown trees should be a primary concern in biological conservation.

(auteur) The tree species used in planted forests are highly productive and have an important role in countries economy but the expansion of these trees into habitats outside plantations is a concern for managers and conservationists. Among the most planted forest species worldwide, we can find eucalypts and pines species. Understanding spatial patterns and the factors that influence these species colonization is crucial to increase the knowledge about expansion capability of these species and may help managers to improve and prioritize eventual control plans. Our study aimed to identify the recruitment spatial patterns of Pinus pinaster (native species) and Eucalyptus globulus (exotic species) into habitats surrounding plantations in Portugal (native forests, grasslands and shrublands) and to determine the factors that influence recruitment. This was done by looking at the recruitment success in several habitats near plantations, using a spatial gradient of distance to plantations edge. We observed as expected that the recruitment of P. pinaster and E. globulus decreased exponentially from the plantation edge. However, the higher P. pinaster seedling recruitment in this study (P. pinaster: 247 seedlings/ha; E. globulus: 22 seedlings/ha), the smallest decline in seedlings density with distance from plantation boundary (P. pinaster = −0.036 seedlings/m vs E. globulus = −0.048 seedlings/m), and the longer distance of seedling establishment, demonstrate clearly that P. pinaster is more successful colonizing the habitats near plantations than E. globulus. Nevertheless E. globulus can growth seedlings within the planted stands suggesting that the species is becoming naturalized. However, localized recruitment (92% of the total seedlings recorded were located less than 15 m from the plantation edge) and lower levels of establishment of E. globulus from managed plantations, suggested that this species did not demonstrate an invasive behavior. However, future research in abandoned eucalyptus plantation is needed to understand the role of plantation management and age as barriers to E. globulus colonization. Results from our survey revealed the suitability of all habitat types studied for P. pinaster natural regeneration, although their recruitment was more limited in forest habitat type. Forest and grassland were very resistant to E. globulus establishment. The two species recruitment was also influenced by different factors, with P. pinaster being independent of climatic variables, while E. globulus was affected by temperature seasonality and recruitment was found to be higher in areas with lower seasonal differences.

(auteur) Dead wood is a critical resource for forest biodiversity and widely used as an indicator for sustainable forest management. Based on data from the Swedish National Forest Inventory we provide baseline information and analyze trends in volume and distribution of dead wood in Swedish managed forests during 15 years. The data are based on ≈30,000 sample plots inventoried during three periods (1994–1998; 2003–2007 and 2008–2012). The forest policy has since 1994 emphasized the need to increase the amount of dead wood in Swedish forests. The average volume of dead wood in Sweden has increased by 25% (from 6.1 to 7.6 m3 ha−1) since the mid-1990s, but patterns differed among regions and tree species. The volume of conifer dead wood (mainly from Picea abies) has increased in the southern part of the country, but remained stable or decreased in the northern part. Heterogeneity of dead wood types was low in terms of species, diameter and decay classes, potentially negatively impacting on biodiversity. Overall, we found only minor effects of the current forest policy since most of the increase can be attributed to storm events creating a pulse of hard dead wood. Therefore, the implementation of established policy instruments (e.g. legislation and voluntary certification schemes) need to be revisited. In addition to the retention of dead trees during forestry operations, policy makers should consider calling for more large-scale targeted creation of dead trees and management methods with longer rotation cycles.

(auteur) Alnus glutinosa (alder) swamp woodlands are in danger of disappearing in Europe and, in Norway, several habitats with alder are threatened. Knowledge about the dynamics of alder swamp woodlands is crucial for the conservation and management of this vegetation. Our studied site, Rambjøra, in western Norway encompasses the Rambjøra Landscape Protected Area. We combined information from three sources—recent alder swamp woodland ecology, vegetation history, and agricultural history—to reveal the long-term vegetation dynamics of Rambjøra in relation to land-use. Dynamic changes in the predominance of forest or semi-natural grassland over 2800 years, concurrent with varying anthropogenic disturbances are inferred. At the investigated site, alder swamp woodland developed after forest clearance and changes in the water balance. The abundance of alder swamp woodlands have varied through time, increasing with low-impact land-use and declining with intensified use or abandonment. The highest biodiversity is found in periods with grazing, hay mowing, and probably fodder and fire wood collection. This indicates that agricultural practices of moderate intensity (grazing and hay cutting) should be part of the future management in order to maintain the biodiversity and meet the objective of the protection of Rambjøra. The study demonstrates the advantages of combining vegetation surveys, pollen records, and land-use history to provide a long-term perspective on vegetation development, and in our case also as an aid when establishing conservation strategies. Our findings need to be considered in future conservation and restoration of ecosystems with alder swamp woodlands.

(Editeur) Annals of forest research publish research articles, critical review articles and discussion papers. Articles are peer-revewed and should be original, of high scientific quality and of national and international interest. The journal scope is to cover aspects of both basic and applied research of all domains of forestry sciences and other related sciences which contribute to forest sustainable management.
Annals of Forest Research is a semestrial open access journal, which publishes research articles, research notes and critical review papers, exclusively in English, on topics dealing with forestry and environmental sciences. The journal promotes high scientific level articles, by following international editorial conventions and by applying a peer-review selection process.

Titre en open access, avec comité de lecture
(éditeur) Peer reviewed international scientific journal of forest sciences, the journal welcomes the original articles as well as short reports, review papers on forestry and forest science throughout the Baltic Sea region and elsewhere. In 1995, Forest Research Institutes and Universities from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania joined their efforts to publish BALTIC FORESTRY two times a year.